Tirumala Venkateswara Temple
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| Sri Venkateswara Temple | |
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| Name: | Sri Venkateswara Temple |
| Date built: | Disputed (Earliest records date to 300 A.D) |
| Primary deity: | Venkateswara |
| Location: | Tirumala, Andhra Pradesh |
The Venkateswara Temple (Telugu: తిరుమల వేంకటేశ్వర దేవాలయం, Tamil: திருப்பதி வேங்கடேஸ்வரர் கோவில்) at Tirumala, Andhra Pradesh is dedicated to Lord Vishnu as 'Venkateswara' (or Srinivasa) and attracts followers from a wide range of Hindu traditions.
According to the tradition this temple has a self manifested murti of Vishnu and it is believed that Vishnu will reside on earth for the entire kaliyugam on tirumala hills. For this reason it attracts Hindus from across the world and is the most visited religious place in the world.
The temple is the world's richest in terms of the wealth of offerings[1] and gifts given by visiting pilgrims . For ages the Hindu monarchs in South India donated invaluable ornaments and precious jewels. The mighty Vijayanagar emperor Krishnadevarayalu, a devoted worshiper, renovated the temple and gave many invaluable ornaments to the temple lord.
About 20,000 employees look after the temple and the visiting pilgrims. On average around 60,000 piligrims per day visit the temple,the highest in the world followed by Vatican, and on special occasions up to 200,000 per day.
The temple is located on the Venkatachalam hill that forms part of the seven hills of Tirumala and hence the temple is also known as the Temple of Seven Hills (Edukondalu in Telugu and Ellumalai in Tamil). At the foothills is the city of Tirupati. Within Vaishnava tradition, the temple is considered as one of the 108 Divya Desam sites.
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[edit] The temple
The Tirumala hills comprising of the seven hills of Vrushabadri, Garudadri, Anjanadri , Simhadri , Neeladri , Venkatadri and Seshadri is the abode of the Tirumala Venkateswara temple. The hill town (Tirumala) and the temple (Venkateswara Temple) is located on the Seshadri or Seshachelam hill. The temple complex comprises a smaller traditional temple building along with a number of modern queuing and pilgrimage holding sites.
The varied names ascribed to the main deity are Balaji, Srinivasa, Venkateswara and Venkatachalapathy. The goddess Sri or Lakshmi (Vishnu's consort), resides on the chest of Venketeswara thus he is also known by the epithet Srinivasa (the one in whom Sri resides). The deity is considered the Kali yuga varada, that is 'the boon-granting lord of Kali yuga' (the fourth and final age of Hindu cycle of ages). The temple is held in particular reverence by the Vaishnava sect of southern India, known as the Sri Vaishnava.
For worshippers, the deity Venkateshwara symbolizes goodness. When people travel to Tirupati, they chant "Yedu Kondala Vada Venkataramana Govinda Govindaa" (in Telugu), "Yezhu malaiyaane Govinda" (in Tamil) or "Tirupati Thimmappana Padakke Govinda" (in Kannada).
With his conch he creates the cosmic sound that destroys ignorance and with his disc he destroys evil. Venkateshwara is believed by followers to be a very merciful deity form of Vishnu, being the fulfiller of every wish made to him by the devotees.
The temple brings around 60,000 pilgrims every day.[2] The popularity of the temple can be judged by the annual income which was estimated at Rs 5.3 billion in 2004[3]
[edit] Legend
Sri Venkatachala Mahatyam is the most accepted legend with respect to Tirumala and provides the history of the temple across the various yugas.
Of the other legends, the following are most known:
- Ranganathaswamy at Srirangam (the main deity) is believed to have manifested on its own without any human endeavour (Swayambhu)
- Discovery of the Venkateshwara deity is described as an act of divine providence: there was a huge anthill at Tirupati, and one day a local farmer heard a voice from the heavens asking him to feed the ants. By chance the local king heard the voice and began supplying milk for the ants himself. His compassion resulted in the liquid uncovering the magnificent deity form of Venkateshwara hidden beneath the anthill.
[edit] History of the temple
[edit] Ancient History
The exact beginnings of the temple are shrouded in antiquity and its origins are a matter of debate. The Sangam literature of Tamil such as Silapadikaram and Satanar's Manimekalai, dated between 500 B.C to 300 A.D, mentions Thiruvengadam (now named Tirupati) as the northernmost frontier of the Tamil Kingdoms. Other Indian literature dating during the Mauryan and Guptan regimes mention it as "Aadhi Varaha Kshetra" (The ancient site of Varaha). Till the time of Ramanuja, the famous Vaishnava scholar of the 12th century, the identity of the deity was still disputed until he confirmed it to be indeed Vishnu.
The site was an established center by the 5th century A.D, and the Alvars (Vaishnava saints) belonging to the Bhakti movement in Tamilnadu sung in praise of Venketeswara. Its significance in Southern Vaishnavite tradition was at the time next only to Srirangam. The temple was richly endowed by the kings of various dynasties thus adding to its current reputation as the richest and most opulent temple in the world. The Imperial pallavas (who originally built the temple), Hoysalas, the Vijayanagara (including Krishna Deva Raya were some of the key contributors for building the temple and donating gold and other ornaments for the temple.
[edit] Medieval History
It was under the regime of the Vijayanagara emperors that the temple attained the majority of its current opulence[4] and size with the donation of expensive jewellery made of diamonds and gold. The coronation ceremonies of the emperors were also held at Tirupati. In 1517, Krishnadevaraya, on one of his many visits to the temple, donated gold and jewels enabling the Vimana (inner shrine) roofing to be gilded. The Maratha general Raghoji Bhonsle visited the temple and set up a permanent administration for the conduct of worship in the temple. Among the later rulers who endowed large benefactions were the rulers of Mysore and Gadwal.
In 1843, with the coming of the East India Company, the administration of the Shri Venkateshwara temple and a number of shrines was entrusted to Seva Dossji of the Hathiramji Mutt at Tirumala as Vicaranakarta for nearly a century until 1932 when Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) was established as a result of T.T.D Act, 1932.
[edit] Modern History
See TTD's Mandate for more details
TTD is operated by a Board of Trustees has increased in size through adoption of various Acts from five (1951) to fifteen (1987). The daily operation and management of TTD is the responsibility of Executive Officer (EO) who is appointed by the AP government.
[edit] Prasadam
Laddu is the most famous prasadam given at Tirumala Temple. Many other delicious prasadams are also available like curd rice, tamarind rice, vada, dosa, sweet pongal etc. Free meals are given daily to the pilgrims, and on Thursdays, Tirupavadai seva occurs, where food items are kept for neivedya to Lord Srinivasa.
[edit] Travel and Stay
See Tirupati - Travel and Stay for more details
Tirupati is well connected by road, rail and air with the major metros in India. Private and Public road transport is available for climbing from Tirupati to Tirumala. Once Pilgrims reach Tirupati, both paid and free accommodations are available in Tirupati and Tirumala.
[edit] Darshan and Queue System
Tirumala possibly has the most elaborate arrangement in India to sequence and guide visiting devotees through the holy shrine. Due to the ever increasing rush of devotees during all 365 days in a year, the temple authorities have set-up a virtual queue system. This has resulted in a steep drop in time that individual devotees need to spend within the Queue Complex leading to the main temple from the earlier 6 to 8 hours by early 1990s to about one to one and half hours typically.
Individual devotees are required to register at any of the many queue offices situated near the main shrine, at the local rail and bus stations in Tirumala and Tirupati as well as at TTD offices in other key cities like Bangalore Hyderabad and Chennai. On registration, devotees are provided with a bar-coded wristband with the expected time and date of entry into the Vaikuntam Queue Complex. At the time of registration biometrics (finger print and photo) is administered to eliminate the involvement of middlemen. Devotees contributing for Special Darshan or Puja Darshan tickets are moved up the queue virtually as well as inside the temple complex though all devotees are treated equally from the point of entry into the sanctum sanctorum.
Typically, devotees spend between 60 to 180 minutes going through the Queue complex, depending on the season. The delay increases during weekends, festival periods and special temple puja periods.
[edit] Arjitha Seva (Paid Services)
Pilgrims can view and participate (in a limited fashion) in the various sevas performed to Dhruva bera (main idol), Bhoga Srinivasa, Sri Malayappa swami and other idols in the temple.
When pilgrims purchase arjitha seva tickets, they get the opportunity to see a seva performed to the Lord, obtain prasadam in the form of vastram (clothes), akshantalu (sacred and blessed rice) and food articles (laddus, vadas, dosas, pongal, rice items) and a darshan of the utsava murti.
[edit] Festivals
The town celebrates most Vaishnava festivals including Vaikunta Ekadasi, Rama Navami and Janmashtami with great splendor, while the Brahmotsavam celebrated every year during September is the most important festivals in Tirumala, when it receives millions of devotees over a short span of a week. Other major festivals include Vasanthotsavam (spring festival) conducted during March-April and Rathasapthami (Magha Shuddha Saptami) is another festival, celebrated during February, when Venkateswara's deity is taken on procession around the temple chariots.[5]
[edit] Miscellaneous
The Venkateswara Suprabhatam, the morning recital of prayers and songs of awakening, is believed to have been written and sung by one of Ramanuja's disciples who visited the temple with his Guru.
Traditionally Kurubas build temples on top of the mountains and worshiped the Almighty. Venkateshwara has strong following from the Backward Castes, who are traditionally Shiva worshipers in south India. Venkateswara has a significant Dalit following also.
There is a Govindaraya Vishnu temple in the Tirupati town down below the hills with Vishnu in Yoga Nidra with Sridevi and Bhumidevi next to him.
Several composers composed beautiful kirtans about Venkateshwara, the most notable amongst them being Tyagaraja and Annamacharya. Annamacharya is a legendary devotee of Venkateswara and composed songs almost exclusively about the deity.
[edit] Related Temples
Tirupati is one of the 108 holy temples in Vaishnavite system and is related to a number of other temples, including the ones in Uppiliappan temple, near Kumbakonam and Varagur temple, near Trichi are considered to be the "divine brothers" of Lord Venkateshwara.
[edit] List of Other Temples to Visit
Shiva Temples
Vishnu Temples
- Ahobilam
- Bhadrachalam
- ISKCON Temple
- GovindaRajaSwamy Temple
- Alamelmangai Ammavaru Temple
- KothandaRamaSwamy Temple
- SrinivasaManga Puram
- Mangalagiri
- Simhachalam
Vinayaka Temples
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Tirupati Temple
- ^ CNN-IBN - Tirumala, the epicentre of faith.
- ^ TTD's Income in 2004. Rediff (2004-05-08). Retrieved on 2007-04-15.
- ^ (1981) The Tirumala Temple. Tirumala: Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams.
- ^ Rathasapthami photos.
[edit] External links
- TTD website
- Greatest Temple Tirumala Venkateswara Temple in India, Andhra Pradesh Indian Hindu Temples
- Pictures of TTD and various sevas
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